Lubricating means for axle drive mechanisms



Nov. 18, 1952 w, ALDEN 2,618,359

LUBRICATING MEANS FOR AXLE DRIVE MECHANISMS Original Filed Sept. 19, 1941 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Herbert W Alden Attorneys Nov. 18, 1952 H. w. ALDEN LUBRICATING MEANS FOR AXLE DRIVE MECHANISMS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Original Filed Sept. 19, 1941 4 lO/ l 7 I 7 22 I 0a 26 III II/ I l l l I i Herb err W Alden Attorneys Patented Nov. 18, 1952 vsai erma MEANS. FOR AXLE. nmvr MECHANISMS Herbert W. Alden, Detroit, Mich assignor to. The

'Iimken-Detroit. Axle Company Detroit, Mich v acqrncm iqn of Ohio Original" application September 19', 1941, Serial No. 411,602: Divided and this application July 3-1, 1-94'7, -Ser-ial No. 765,098-

This invention relatestolubricating means for axlel'drive mechanisms, the subject matter of the present application constituting a division of my application Serial No. 411,602, filed September 19, 1941, and issued June. 22, 1948-, asUnited States Letters Patent No. 2,443,590.

It is theprimary object and purpose of the-invention to provide simple and efficiently functioning means for maintaining a substantiallycontinuous circulation of lubricatingoil under centrifugal; force within anaxle housinguponthe various relativelymovableparts of the axle drive mechanism.

A- morepar-ticular object of theinventionresidesin-the provisionof a'rotorjournalled in the axle housing and enclosing the essential parts of'adifferential unit and power-transfer gearing, together with means carried by said rotor and effective in the rotation thereof, tocreatean axial flowof lubricating oil contained in the housingthrough said rotor andupon-the various parts of the differential unit and transfer gearing therein;

A further object isto provide'meansfor-insuring a copious supply of oil to the journal bearings for the rotor-and the pinion drive shaft which is gearedthereto.

With the above and; other subordinate objects in; view, the-invention comprises the improved lubricating means for axle drive mechanismsand the: construction-and the-relative arrangement of its-several parts, as will-hereinafter--be more fully described, illustratedvin' the accompany-ingdrawings and subsequentlyincorporated: in the subduingclaims.

In the drawings" wherein similarreferencecharacters designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a horizontal section through the axle-housing, taken substantially onthe line l'-l of Figure 3, certain parts of the drive-mechanism being shown in elevation;

Figure 2 i is a vertical sectional view-takensubstantially onthe line 22' of-Figurel, the rotor of the drive mechanism being. shownin'elevation; and

Figure 3'is a vertical sectional view taken substantially-on the line 3-3- of Figured.

Referring infurther detail to the'drawings, in which I have-shown one-type-ofdifierential andpower transfer gearing, the axle construction comprises ahousing; indicated generally atl0, including main housingsection I I andauxiliaryhousing 'section- 122 Thehousingseetions are joined. togethen by -blts= l3- and 1 held in aligned 2 Claims. (01. 1s4 -1 1)" relationship by a piloting'shoulder M: and a piloting recess. l6. Main housing section H; has: a radially; extending boss I] and an inwardly extending bearing recess l8. Extending from a wall of housing member H: isweb. H) which supports bearing 21., and a bearing carrier 22;. is received. in; an opening in boss. 17.

Carrier 22 supports taper roller bearings 23 and 24 and a cap 26 is mounted over the carrier, the whole assembly being secured to boss I! by bolts 20 as shown. A pinion shaft-21?, carrying at itsinner end a pinion 28', isjournalled in bearings 21, 23' and 24, and a locknut assembly 29 isthreaded on theshaft for adjusting bearings 23';

and'M. The shaft is splined for connection to a universal joint part 31- which fits snuglyin cap- 26; sealing means 32 being provided to prevent the escape of lubricantf-rom the axlehousing in well known manner.

Housing member I2 is provided with a transverse rib-or web'member 33, bored-to provide seat 34: for a combined bearing carrier member and clutch locking element 35; secured to-web33 by screw 36. Element35 is formedwith bearing recess 3T to receive the outer race of taper roller bearing 38, and a similar taper roller bearing 39 is mounted within recess l3 in the boss Stand aligned with bearing 382 The axle drive mechanism-includes a rotor or housingmember indicated generally by thereference numeral 41 is journalled at oneend within thebearing- 33- This housing member comprises a=main housing-section ll and a coverelement 43,

securedto section by screws 44% Housingsec tion 42, is provided with a radially extending flange 4 5 againstwhich is secured ring gear it-by means of screws.

A differential carrier member 43" isjournalled at its right-hand end within acylindrical extending portion149 of housing section 42; providing a'bearing To the other endof carrier 48 'is secured an internal ring gear Si bymeans of bolts52;

mesh with side gearsEG-andi'l; respectively, side gear 56- bei-ng j ournalledwithin the right-hand end ofcarrier 48-and side gear Elbeingjournalled in a left-hand cylindrical extension 58 of said carrier. As willbe observed,- extension 58projectsbeyondthe-end of side gear 5?; the purpose of which will be pointedout'later.

Cover element 53; adjacent its inner portion, is provided with a circular series of bosses 59-and seatedonthese-bosses is acorresponding series Carrier 48 is split in a conventionalmanner and prov-ided'with a yoke 53 on whichdifferential'pinionsid are 'journalled; Pinions 54 of bosses 69 carried by a ring member 6|. Screws 62 pass through the bosses and are threaded into cover element 43, so as to tightly secure ring element 6| to cover element 43. Ring BI and cover member 43 are provided with aligned bores into which pins 63 are pressed. These pins provide trunnion elements on which planet gears 34 are journalled.

Planet gears 64 are preferably three in number equally spaced and mesh with sun gear teeth 65 integrally formed in an elongated sleeve member 31. The sleeve is journalled at its inner end 68 in a cylindrical aperture provided in the extension 53 of differential carrier 48. At its other end sleeve 61 is journalled within cylindrically extending portion II of the sleeve to cover 43. Beyond bearing 38, extension II is provided with a circular series of external clutch teeth I2. Axle shafts I3 and I4 are splined to side gears 96 and 51 in the usual manner, shaft 14 extending through sleeve 67.

A longitudinally slidable clutch element provided with internal teeth 17, and external teeth I8, is splined to sleeve 61. In the position shown, external teeth 73 mesh with a series of internal clutch teeth I9 formed on a laterally extending portion 83 of the combined bearing carrier and clutch locking element 35. The clutch element is controlled by a clutch yoke 8| mounted on a shaft 8| journalled in the housing element I2, a cover 32 bein provided to afiord access to these parts. Clutch element I6 is provided with a spring-pressed detent 83 adapted to selectively engage either one of two locating recesses 84 or 35 as will be readily understood. When the clutch is shifted to the right as seen in Figure 1 so that detent 83 engages recess 85, internal clutch teeth 17 will then intermesh with clutch teeth I2 on a cover extension II.

Housing element 42 is provided, on its small diameter end enclosing the differential unit, with two oppositely extending scoop members 86 and 37. As can be more readily seen from a comparison of Figures 1 and 3, these scoop elements open in the direction of rotation of the housing member, and lead directly to the interior of differential housing member 42. Carrier 48 is provided with lubricant bores 88 and 89. Cover 43 closing the large diameter end of the housing has formed therein a lubricant discharge port 9| (Figure 1) radially spaced from the housing axis a greater distance than scoop members 86 and 87. At its top the axially directed boss 99 is formed with a rib 92 providing recess 93, leading from which is duct 94 communicating with outer side of bearing 39. To prevent oil from escaping out of the ends of the axle housing, oil seals 95 may be provided. However, due to the pumping action of the bearing 39, there will be very little tendency for oil to escape at this point, and oil seals 95 may be dispensed with, if desired. At its upper portion web 33 is formed with a recess 93 and rib 91. Duct 99 leads to bearing 39 and also to clutch elements 12, TI, 18 and I9. A lubricant return duct I is arranged at the lowermost part of web 33.

Referring now to Figure 3, it will be observed that the extending boss l! is provided with a duct or passage I 0| above the bearings 23 and 24. Duct I02 through bearing carrier 22 leads to a point between these bearings, and ducts I03 and I04 are provided to conduct lubricant passing forwardly through the bearing 24 back into the housing I0. 7

Although the operation of the selected exgears 64 mesh with ring gear 5|, the ring gear 5|, together with carrier 48, will be driven also. Due to the relative size of planet gears 64 and sun gear teeth 96 on sleeve 61, the ring gear 5| will be driven at a greater speed than that of the housing element 4|. In other words, an overdrive is provided with this settin of the clutch sleeve I6.

If clutch sleeve I6 is shifted to the right as viewed in Figure 1, the internal teeth 11 mesh with teeth 12 carried by extension II of differential housing 4|. Thus the sleeve 61 is locked to the housing 4| and consequently the planetary gearing is locked together, and ring gear 5|, together with difierential carrier 48, is driven at the same speed as the outer or main ring gea 46. This provides the direct low speed drive of the axle.

Turning now to the lubrication of the axle construction, the housing I9, formed by elements II and I2, is filled with oil to a level somewhat above the lower portion of the bearing 38 so that the level stands well above one of the scoops 86 and 87 when they are in upright position, that is, at right angles to the position shown in Figure 3. Accordingly, as the housing 4| rotates, these scoops dip into the oil and force it through apertures 88 and 89 in the differential carrier 48. As will be observed, the size of the carrier 48 increases to the left as does the size of the differential housing 4|. Therefore, as the rotation of these parts proceeds, the oil taken in through ducts 88, 89 will be forced, by centrifugal force, axially through these elements, some of this lubricant will pass directly through the differential gearing 5-4, 59 and 57, then, dis-charging through ports 39, and traveling outwardly between the planetary gear 64 and the ring gear 5|, will be eventually discharged through ports 9|. Some of this oil will, of course, travel on the outside of the carrier 48 and eventually be discharged through the same ports 9|. Thus, all of the moving parts of the planetary gearing as well as the differential gearing are at all times supplied with lubricant which is being continually forced through the differential and planetary gearing assembly by the action of centrifugal force.

Referring now to Figure 2, the oil which is picked up by the ring gear 45 will be thrown around in the axle housing some of which will collect on the upper portion thereof, and as it runs down the inclined walls of housing members II and I2, will be collected by the recesses 93 and 95, and eventually discharged through ducts 94 and 99 into the bearings 38 and 39. Due to the conical character of these bearings, this oil, or most of it, will be pumped inwardly through these bearings and discharged into the housing. Thus, a continuous circulation of oil through these bearings isprovided. It will also be seen that at least some of the oil discharged by the bearing 38 will be within the path of the scoops 86 and 87 and will be collected thereby and I taken within differential housing 4|. of the oil, discharged from duct 99, will reach the clutch parts 12, 16 and 19.

Turning to Figure 3, oil, which is picked up by the ring gear 46, will be discharged on the upper periphery of the inside of the housing elements H and I2, and as it drains downwardly thereon,

will enter into recess lill from which it will pass through ports I02 to bearings 23 and 24. Oil entering between these bearings will be pumped outwardly thereby, that passing through bearing 23 being discharged directly back within the axle housing while that discharged by bearing 24 will be collected within the cover or cap 29 and eventually discharged back through ports I03 and I04 into the axle housing, as will be readily understood. Thus, it will be seen that all of the moving parts of my improved axle construction are continuously provided with large quantities of oil. Also, the oil, continuously circulated through the housing, is cooled by contact with the walls thereof thereby reducing the temperature of the various operating parts. It will also be observed that the oil fed axially through the differential housing and differential carrier 48 is acted on by centrifugal force, while oil led to gearings 39, 39 and 23 and 24 is under the action of gravity. Thus, at all times during operation of the axle, a positive force tends to circulate lubricant through all of the moving parts, and at no time is it necessary for lubricant to travel opposite to centrifugal force or against gravity in order to reach the parts requiring lubrication. Accordingly, adequate lubrication is assured and proper operation and increased life of the parts is secured. Preferably bores 88 and 89 and passage 9| are located at increased distances from the rotational axis, as shown, to augment the feeding of lubricant through housing 4| and carrier 48.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided simple and reliably functioning means for automatically maintaining, during operation of the differential and power transfer gearing, a continuous centrifugally induced axial flow of the lubricant contained in the axle housing and the circulation thereof in copious volume to all reltaively moving parts of the mechanism. Wear is reduced to a minimum and maximum efficiency in the transmission of driving torque to the vehicle axles is realized. It will, of course, be understood that the above described example of power transfer gearing is merely illustrative, and my present improvements can be utilized with equal advantage in connection with other transfer mechanisms, of either the single or multiple speed type.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without-departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the

Also, some I scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An axle housing adapted to contain a body of lubricant; drive axles associated with said housing; means for driving said axles including differential mechanism and power transfer gearing; a second housing rotatably supported in said axle housing and surrounding said differential mechanism; lubricant collecting means on said second housing adjacent one end thereof for collecting lubricant from said axle housing and directing it into said second housing onto said diiferential mechanism; means associated with said differential mechanism providing inlet and outlet ducts; said inlet duct being arranged adjacent said collecting means and said outlet duct being arranged adjacent said power transfer gearing; and lubricant discharge means on said second housing; said inlet duct, outlet duct and discharge means each being spaced at increased distances from the rotational axes of said second housing, in the order named, whereby lubricant directed into said second housing is continuously fed through said differential mechanism, power transfer gearing and back into said axle housing.

2. An axle housing; a rotor journalled in said housing; a differential carrier journalled in said rotor and carrying differential gearing; an enlarged portion on said carrier; power transfer gearing mounted on said rotor and meshing with a gear on said enlarged portion; means on said rotor for collecting and feeding lubricant from the axle housing into said rotor; inlet and outlet passages on said carrier and a discharge passage on said rotor; said differential gearing being arranged between said inlet and outlet passages and said power transfer gearing being interposed between said outlet passage and said discharge passage, whereby lubricant collected by said collecting means is forced through said rotor, differential gearing and power transfer gearing.

HERBERT W. ALDEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

